The government has rescued and returned home the third group of Ugandans with minor cases from jails in Saudi Arabia.

A total of 20 ladies who were recently rescued arrived in Uganda on Monday night, November 4th, 2024, and were received by officials from the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development.

Joshua Kyalimpa, the Ministry of Gender Spokesperson said the release stemmed from a series of mediation between the two countries.

“The Ugandan government has been negotiating with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure that Ugandans in various prisons are released and returned home. As of today, 20 Ugandans have returned home via Air Arabia. We expect more people to return because the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided us a 60-day opportunity to bring all Ugandans with minor charges back home.” He said.

The Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, Esther Anyakun Davinia, said plans are underway by the Ministry to rehabilitate and reintegrate the rescued Ugandans.

The Minister urged labor externalization companies to educate workers on the cultural expectations and legalities of the countries they are traveling to, highlighting issues related to local herbs being misinterpreted as illegal drugs.

In 2023, Uganda and Saudi Arabia signed a bilateral labor agreement, placing responsibility on the host country to uphold the rights of Ugandan workers.explorer